Shooting (While Dribbling)

The Gate Shot

Shots won’t always be taken from directly in front of the goal. The gate shot lets players shoot from difficult angles. Six gates are marked off with cones, forming a semi-circle around the goal. A short line of shooters begins at the first gate, to the far right of the goal. One by one, the shooters take a right-footed shot through the first gate and get back in line. Then, they take a left-footed shot through the same gate. The line moves on from gate to gate, with players taking two shots through each one.

The L-Shot

Players won’t always be facing the goal when shooting. Sometimes, they’ll be dribbling away from the goal to get away from defenders. With the L-shot, a player must dribble in an L shape before shooting—as if moving away from a defender. Three cones represent the defender, about fourteen paces from the goal. A short line of shooters, each with a ball, begins five paces beyond the cones. The first shooter dribbles to within a step of the middle cone, then turns sharply to the right in an L-shaped path. Once outside the cones, the shooter takes a right-footed shot. The other shooters take the same shot, and get back in line. The next time through, players turn left for a left-footed shot. The shooting continues until players have had four tries with each foot.

The Dribble-By Shot

A shooter might be dribbling parallel to the goal, and the dribble-by shot provides this experience. Since the cone setup is the same as for the L-shot, both shots can be practiced at the same time. The line of shooters is to one side of the cones, stretching parallel to the goal line. Each shooter has a ball. The first shooter dribbles quickly past the cones, and then shoots with the right foot. The shot must come from beyond the last cone. The other shooters quickly follow. Rather than getting back in line, the shooters form a new line on the other side—and dribble back for the left-footed version.

The Chipperoo Shot

The chipperoo shot provides practice at chipping over the Keeper’s head. Up to six shooters begin outside an arc of cones. The Keeper must stay outside a second arc of cones, so that the chips have a chance. With larger numbers of shooters, two Keepers may guard the goal together. Rather than taking turns, the shooters begin chipping at the same time. The ball must be moving when it’s chipped, and float over the Keeper’s head. Each shooter must alternate between a right-footed chip and a left-footed chip. Players score as many goals as possible in three minutes.

The Mighty Moe Shot

A shot powered on goal from further out is called a mighty moe. Two cones are placed beyond the penalty area. A short line of shooters begins behind the cones, and each shooter has a ball. The Keeper must remain near the goal line, inviting a powered shot rather than a chip. Each player pushes a ball forward, shoots from behind the cones, and gets back in line. Newer players can take all the shots with the stronger foot. Experienced players should alternate feet.

The Breakaway Shot

The breakaway shot recreates those situations where a player dribbles in on the Keeper. The Keeper will usually be charging out to cut off the angle. But the shooter has the advantage of three options: shoot around the Keeper, chip over the Keeper, or dribble past the Keeper. One option can be practiced at a time. Then, players can choose unpredictably between the three.

The shooters line up about thirty paces from the goal (Scene 3-6). One Keeper begins in the goal, and alternates tries with a second Keeper. The coach stands to the side, keeping time. The first shooter breaks in on the Keeper, who charges out of the goal. The ball must be in the net within eight seconds.
Immediately after the first attempt, the second shooter goes against the second